What counts as ‘close contact’? Why the risk of hantavirus transmission is tricky to define
Health officials have said the Andes virus implicated in the cruise ship outbreak spreads via “close contact.” Live Science spoke to experts about what that
Category: Science
Science news this week: PCOS has a new name, Neanderthals were the world’s oldest dentists, and the first nuclear bomb explosion spawned an ‘alien’ crystal
May 16, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over
Newly discovered, blue-whale-size asteroid will fly super close to Earth Monday — and you can watch it live
Newly spotted asteroid 2026 JH2, which could be up to 115 feet wide, will fly past Earth closer than some satellites on Monday (May 18).
Can people catch infections from plants?
Catching diseases from plants may not just be the domain of science fiction.
A Greenland explorer will eat only decaying seal for a month
British chef Mike Keen will ski across Greenland eating only fermented seal. Researchers will study how the Inuit diet shapes gut health.
‘Membership in WHO is critical’: America is no longer at the helm of international outbreak responses, Emory epidemiologist says
Live Science spoke with a leading epidemiologist from Emory University about her impressions of how the hantavirus outbreak is being managed in the U.S.
Curiosity Shakes Loose a Pesky Rock
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this view of a rock nicknamed “Atacama” on May 6, 2026, the 4,877th
Rubin Tracks Skyscraper-Size Asteroids, Failed Supernovas, and Interstellar Visitors
Over the years, anticipation has built for the start of observations at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in the mountains of the Atacama Desert in
‘The biggest El Niño event since the 1870s’: ‘Super’ El Niño is now the most likely scenario by the end of this year — and the humanitarian cost could be huge
A “very strong” El Niño is now the most probable scenario for the October-to-February period.
AI chatbots are turbocharging violence against women and girls: We urgently need to regulate them
AI chatbots normalize sexual violence, initiate unwanted sexual conversations and offer personalized stalking advice because of how they’re designed. Their makers need to be held
‘I heard gasps’ and ‘oh my God’: Artemis II astronauts reveal inside story of their mind-bending solar eclipse
In their first visit to Canada since returning to Earth, the Artemis II astronauts opened up about the moments that blew their minds — and
Crabs’ sideways walk may have evolved just once
A study of 50 crab species in Japan traces the iconic sideways walk to a single ancestor, suggesting the trait drove the group’s remarkable diversity.
Our understanding of Charles Darwin continues to evolve
Historian Janet Browne’s Darwin: A Biography lifts the curtain on the private life of Charles Darwin, one of science’s most controversial pioneers.
A brain-controlled system may help listeners with hearing loss cut through the noise
A hearing system that monitors brain waves could help people with hearing loss communicate in noisy environments. (Image credit: Matteo Farinella)